| 765 |
O Cupide, out of alle charitee! |
| O regne, that wolt no felawe have with thee! |
| Ful sooth is seyd that love ne lordshipe |
| Wol noght, hir thankes, have no felaweshipe. |
| Wel fynden that Arcite and Palamoun. |
| 770 | Arcite is riden anon unto the toun, |
| And on the morwe, er it were dayes light, |
| Ful prively two harneys hath he dight, |
| Bothe suffisaunt and mete to darreyne |
| The bataille in the feeld bitwix hem tweyne. |
| 775 | And on his hors, allone as he was born, |
| He carieth al this harneys hym biforn, |
| And in the grove, at tyme and place yset, |
| This Arcite and this Palamon ben met. |
| To chaungen gan the colour in hir face |
| 780 | Right as the hunters in the regne of Trace, |
| That stondeth at the gappe with a spere, |
| Whan hunted is the leoun and the bere, |
| And hereth hym come russhyng in the greves, |
| And breketh bothe bowes and the leves, |
| 785 | And thynketh, "Heere cometh my mortal enemy, |
| Withoute faille he moot be deed or I, |
| For outher I moot sleen hym at the gappe, |
| Or he moot sleen me, if that me myshappe"- |
| So ferden they in chaungyng of hir hewe, |
| 790 | As fer as everich of hem oother knewe. |
| Ther nas no good day ne no saluyng, |
| But streight, withouten word or rehersyng, |
| Everich of hem heelp for to armen oother, |
| As freendly as he were his owene brother. |
| 795 | And after that with sharpe speres stronge |
| They foynen ech at oother wonder longe. |
| Thou myghtest wene that this Palamoun |
| In his fightyng were a wood leon, |
| And as a crueel tigre was Arcite. |
| 800 | As wilde bores gonne they to smyte, |
| That frothen white as foom for ire wood. |
| Up to the ancle foghte they in hir blood. |
| And in this wise I lete hem fightyng dwelle, |
| And forth I wole of Theseus yow telle. |
|
| 765 |
O Cupido, that know'st not charity! |
| O despot, that no peer will have with thee! |
| Truly, 'tis said, that love, like all lordship, |
| Declines, with little thanks, a partnership. |
| Well learned they that, Arcite and Palamon. |
| 770 | Arcita rode into the town anon, |
| And on the morrow, before the dawn, he bore, |
| Secretly, arms and armour out of store, |
| Enough for each, and proper to maintain |
| A battle in the field between the twain. |
| 775 | So on his horse, alone as he was born, |
| He carried out that harness as he'd sworn; |
| And in the grove, at time and place they'd set, |
| Arcita and this Palamon were met. |
| Each of the two changed colour in the face. |
| 780 | For as the hunter in the realm of Thrace |
| Stands at the clearing with his ready spear, |
| When hunted is the lion, or the bear, |
| And through the forest hears him rushing fast, |
| Breaking the boughs and leaves, and thinks aghast. |
| 785 | "Here comes apace my mortal enemy! |
| Now, without fail, he must be slain, or I; |
| For either I must kill him before he pass, |
| Or he will make of me a dead carcass"- |
| So fared these men, in altering their hue, |
| 790 | So far as each the strength of other knew. |
| There was no "good-day" given, no saluting, |
| But without word, rehearsal, or such thing, |
| Each of them helping, so they armed each other |
| As dutifully as he were his own brother; |
| 795 | And afterward, with their sharp spears and strong, |
| They thrust each at the other wondrous long. |
| You might have fancied that this Palamon, |
| In battle, was a furious, mad lion, |
| And that Arcita was a tiger quite: |
| 800 | Like very boars the two began to smite, |
| Like boars that froth for anger in the wood. |
| Up to the ankles fought they in their blood. |
| And leaving them thus fighting fast and fell, |
| Forthwith of Theseus I now will tell. |
|
